1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to printing systems, and in particular, to a system and method of utilizing tab attributes as job ticket attributes for printing.
2. Description of Related Art
Page description language files (referred to herein as “PDL files”) are computer languages and/or file formats that can be translated into printed documents. Many printing systems can accept a PDL file directly without pre-processing by another device such as a computer. PDL files are generally designed to describe how characters, graphics, and/or images should be printed on a substrate by a printing system. PDL files generally store printing data in a more abstract manner than pixel-wise image files. For example: rather than describing a square pixel-by-pixel, a PDL file may describe the square in terms of position, size, color and the like. PDL files sometimes have advantages over bitmap files, such as generally reduced file sizes and increased platform independence. Additionally, some printing systems receive PDL files directly with minimal or no pre-processing necessary before the file is received by the printing system.
When setting up one or more PDL files for printing, specialized printing tools can assist a user in controlling the settings, printing flow, and/or other parameters for setting up a printing job for a printing system. For example: it is common to apply exception level programming to a PDL file before printing commences. Generally, “exceptions” in this context are items not included in the original page content of the PDL file or contain different item level programming from the body of the job. These are considered to be “exceptions” to the job-level programming that defines the body of the job. Exceptions may be applied to one or more pages and generally do not modify the PDL file itself, but rather provide an effective way to make last minute changes and/or specialized settings. Tools that apply exception level programming are called exception page programming tools.
Typically, exceptions are applied to paper stocks (covers, stock exceptions, page inserts), page sequencing (chapter starts), image quality and image shifting. Other exceptions may include subset finishing, imposition and page level annotation. For example, a PDL file may include image quality information, such as contrast settings, color settings and other settings associated with certain aspects of the PDL file; an exception may be applied to a particular page or a subset of pages that override these PDL properties.
Exception level programming may apply to the current stock (sometimes referred to as the paper stock). The stock is the type of medium or material that is to be printed on during processing by a printing system. Many modern printing systems have multiple sources of stock, separated by color, quality, weight, medium, material, finishing and/or coating material. For example, a PDL file may have 30 pages of text and one photographic quality page, and an exception may be associated with that photographic quality page to operatively instruct the printing system to utilize a medium more suitable for printing a photographic level of detail and/or to achieve another desired quality associated with printing photographic quality pages.
In addition, some exception level programming may include “subset finishing” features, where a subset of pages, sheets, or other aspects are modified. For example, a subset of pages may have certain attributes that are modified in the printing process, such as the use of high quality paper for a certain chapter of a PDL file. Also, an exception (or subset finishing) may be applied for stapling a range of pages within a print job. These changes are also considered exception level programming. Tools that engage in exception level programming are referred to as exception level programming tools.
Tabbed sheets are sometimes used to section various types of print media. For example, tabbed sheets may be used to indicate the beginning of chapters. These tabbed sheets have a raised area in which markings may be made by a printing system (e.g. “chapter 1”) to allow a reader to quickly turn to various sections of the printed media.